Tired of Weighting
(Two entries in one day? You must be joking!)
So, the experiment didn't quite go off as planned. Mostly because a different experiment prevailed.
I got into the gym and settled into the first weight machine. Planted my feet, set my back, grabbed the bars and lifted. And--oof! I realized that I'd foolishly gone to lift my first set before actually setting the weights to the 85 lbs that I've been lifting.
So I went to grab the pin to set it to the correct amount, glancing at what it had been set at: 100 lbs. Geez - no wonder!
And then I stopped.
Because lifting 15 more pounds than I'm used to had been hard ... but I had done it.
And I wondered.
See, I've very very gradually been increasing my load on the weights. I'd be at 75 lbs, and doing 3 sets of 10 reps. Then when I was ready for it, I'd progress to 4 reps. After that, I might go up to 5 reps, but I'd more likely add on another 5 lbs and see how many sets I could do from there (probably back down to 2 or 3). And so on.
And that's worked fine. But it's been very, very gradual. And I thought about how last week I had pushed myself further than I thought I could - and surprised myself.
"So," I thought, "fuck it. Let's give it a shot."
And I lifted those 100 lbs ... 10 times. And HOLY GOD was that tough. But I did it!
And then I rested a minute, heart still pounding. And then I did it again.
And I rotated around to the various weight machines, doing the same.
And it was amazing. I did sets of 10 on all my "regular" machines, jumped up to 100 lbs each. And I was tired as shit by the end ... but I'd done them!
Then, of course - because I apparently don't know when to stop - I got on the treadmill to see if I could run 5 miles even after having just given myself a fuck of a workout on the machines.
The answer? HELL NO. I think I got about four and a half minutes in, and then realized I couldn't even see to the 10 minute mark, much less 60. I shut off the machine and declared it a victory nonetheless.
...and an hour later, because I'm not a wimp (or something), I biked my ass off on the 4 miles into work. And just got home from the return trip.
So. Yeah.
This return to working out really seems to be ... working out. I feel like my body's recently levelled up or something.
(Comments on the original entry here.)
So, the experiment didn't quite go off as planned. Mostly because a different experiment prevailed.
I got into the gym and settled into the first weight machine. Planted my feet, set my back, grabbed the bars and lifted. And--oof! I realized that I'd foolishly gone to lift my first set before actually setting the weights to the 85 lbs that I've been lifting.
So I went to grab the pin to set it to the correct amount, glancing at what it had been set at: 100 lbs. Geez - no wonder!
And then I stopped.
Because lifting 15 more pounds than I'm used to had been hard ... but I had done it.
And I wondered.
See, I've very very gradually been increasing my load on the weights. I'd be at 75 lbs, and doing 3 sets of 10 reps. Then when I was ready for it, I'd progress to 4 reps. After that, I might go up to 5 reps, but I'd more likely add on another 5 lbs and see how many sets I could do from there (probably back down to 2 or 3). And so on.
And that's worked fine. But it's been very, very gradual. And I thought about how last week I had pushed myself further than I thought I could - and surprised myself.
"So," I thought, "fuck it. Let's give it a shot."
And I lifted those 100 lbs ... 10 times. And HOLY GOD was that tough. But I did it!
And then I rested a minute, heart still pounding. And then I did it again.
And I rotated around to the various weight machines, doing the same.
And it was amazing. I did sets of 10 on all my "regular" machines, jumped up to 100 lbs each. And I was tired as shit by the end ... but I'd done them!
Then, of course - because I apparently don't know when to stop - I got on the treadmill to see if I could run 5 miles even after having just given myself a fuck of a workout on the machines.
The answer? HELL NO. I think I got about four and a half minutes in, and then realized I couldn't even see to the 10 minute mark, much less 60. I shut off the machine and declared it a victory nonetheless.
...and an hour later, because I'm not a wimp (or something), I biked my ass off on the 4 miles into work. And just got home from the return trip.
So. Yeah.
This return to working out really seems to be ... working out. I feel like my body's recently levelled up or something.
(Comments on the original entry here.)